The key role of handling the purse strings of one of the region's top festivals lies with 21-year-old Jamie Dobson, a trainee accountant with a passion for challenges.

Jamie Dobson, 21, of Abbeytown, juggles his full-time work at accountancy firm Dodd & Co with his studies and helping to organise this year's Solfest.

It takes place at Tarns, near Aspatria, from August 28 to August 30. 

Jamie says: "I'm really looking forward to this year's festival, it's hard work but I enjoy it.

"Some people go horse riding in their spare time, I sit down and make sure that everything adds up with the budget for Solfest.

"We receive no sponsorship at all. We're completely independent because we want to stay away from the big festivals and this year's event is all about going back to the origins, of when it was first set up.

"I've never been at a festival where there's 24-hour music and you can bring your own food and drinks on all the areas of the site like at Solfest.

"We want everyone to have a great time and that besides the cost of the ticket they don't have to spend anything else.

"There are traders that bring great food from all over the world and different types of beers, but if you don't want to spend the money there every day, you don't have to.

"There's walk around entertainers and workshops and that's all for free."

Jamie helped in the building of the festival site in the past, but he said he will be looking at Solfest with new eyes when the gates open this year. 

He says: "I imagine people getting excited coming through the gate, the music starting and walk around entertainers among the crowd.

"This year we scrapped the main stage, which was a difficult decision, but we actually have more venues than ever before.

"You've got the Drystone stage with the folk music, the bar stage on the top of a hill where you can just sit outside in the beer garden and listen to the music. 

"We've got rid of the big dance tent and replaced it with the Electric Village, which has three separate stages in an enclosed space where you have anything from house to techno and jungle. We wanted it to be more intimate and with more variety. 

"There's Loungevity, which is the chill out space, House of Joy where there's anything reggae, Love Shack, which is more retro with a cocktail bar and the Acoustic Corner, where we'll have a big fire in the middle and a bar and a cafe.

"I'm hoping to see lots of happy people of all ages having a good time in a really relaxed atmosphere. 

"I'm really excited about seeing all the work we've put in coming to fruition."

Jamie lives with his twin sister Sophie and his parents Vynette and David.

He said: "My family are completely behind me, they think it's a great opportunity for me because from this experience I've learnt new life skills and it's good for my career.

"I hope to be involved in Solfest next year too, organising festivals is certainly something that I want to keep as a hobby in the future."

To buy tickets for the festival, visit www.solfest.org.uk